


I Hope You Know

by JetGirl1832, tomatopudding



Series: Family is Everything [16]
Category: Jersey Boys - Gaudio/Crewe/Brickman/Elice
Genre: Cute, Fluff, M/M, Marriage, Modern AU, Proposals, Songs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 11:25:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8710765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JetGirl1832/pseuds/JetGirl1832, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomatopudding/pseuds/tomatopudding
Summary: The worlds cutest proposal.





	

Frankie didn’t really notice when the ruling had come out on Lewis v Harris, but then, he had never been the kind of person who paid attention to those kind of things, even when they might pertain to him. Bob, on the other hand, had taken great notice of the ruling. He and Frankie had been taking care of Francine for just over six years, nearly as long as Mary had her, and he truly saw her as his daughter just as much as she was Frankie’s. She treated him like a father and always introduced him as such to her friends and their families. Yet, there were some ways that he still felt like a stranger. It all had its roots back when Francine had had appendicitis. The hospital had barely consented to allow him into her hospital room because in their eyes he wasn’t related to her.

 

Bob had followed the Lewis v Harris case from the start. His own views on the unfairness of the way same-sex couple were treated in comparison to so-called “traditional” couples fell perfectly in line with the group who had filed the suit in the first place. To hear that his views had been validated, that the supreme court of New Jersey agreed that the way same-sex couples were treated was unfair, had made his heart soar. And now it was happening again. 

 

“…has been passed,” the news anchor was saying, smiling brightly into the camera, “the bill will come into effect in February and will allow same-sex couples to not only join in civil unions, but will give them many of the same rights as heterosexual couples.”

 

Even as he tuned out her chirpy, cheery voice, Bob’s mind was reeling. He’d been considering talking to Frankie about domestic partnership, but now everything could be different. If they were in a civil union, Bob thought as a delighted grin spread across his face, not only would he be all but married to the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but he would also legally be able to adopt Francine. He couldn’t decide which aspect of this new bill he was looking forward to the most.

 

—————

 

Bob’s heart was racing, pounding so hard that he thought it might burst from his chest. There was no reason for him to be so worried, he’d planned everything to a T. Frankie was taking Francine over to Tommy and Nick’s to spend the night with her favorite uncles (it was New Years, so they were bound to let her stay up too late and give her champagne, which meant she would sleep in late, which gave him and Frankie more time to themselves), dinner was keeping warm in the oven, and his keyboard was ready and waiting upstairs. Just as Bob’s nerves were threatening to get the best of him once and for all, he heard the tell-tale sound of their front door opening. 

 

“I’m back!” called Frankie unnecessarily, “It’s snowing like crazy out there. We all may end up stuck inside tomorrow.”

 

“Come to the kitchen,” Bob responded, turning to the oven. As he was about to open it, he felt a arms curl around his waist and a nearly frozen nose stuck itself in the back of his neck, just above the collar of his shirt.

 

“You’re cold,” Bob pointed out with a laugh.

 

“You don’t say,” snarked Frankie, “Why don’t you warm me up?”

 

The food could wait, Bob decided as he turned in Frankie’s arms so that they were facing each other. Frankie’s nose and cheeks were pinked with the cold and his hair was flattened in strange places from the knit cap he had obviously been wearing.

 

“You’re incorrigible, you know that?”

 

One of the ice cubes masquerading as Frankie’s hand slipped up to the back of Bob’s neck and pulled him down into a kiss. Bob melted into the embrace, the way he always did, and the kiss soon turned into something not nearly as innocent. He could get lost forever in the feel of Frankie’s lips against his. They only broke apart when oxygen became a necessity. 

 

“We could skip dinner and just go straight for dessert,” offered Frankie with a sly grin, pulling Bob flush against him.

 

“As tempting as that is,” replied Bob, “I’ve got some very specific plans for tonight and those plans start with dinner.”

 

“Surely a slight deviation wouldn’t—”

 

“Sit your cute butt down at that table.”

 

“I love it when you get all masterful,” Frankie all but growled, giving Bob a last chaste kiss before complying.

 

It took Bob a moment to regain his composure and feel steady enough on his feet to handle hot food. When everything was completely laid out on the table, the wine poured, and the candles lit, Bob sat. They were across from each other sitting on the broad sides of the rectangular table, so the space between them was small enough that Bob felt Frankie’s foot running up and down his calf every so often as they ate. His nerves were rising again even as he relaxed into the warmth of the food and Frankie’s presence.

 

“You alright, sweetheart?” Frankie asked when their plates had been scraped clean—Bob could be a hell of a cook when he had the opportunity and that chocolate cake had been one of the best things Frankie had ever tasted.

 

“Of course,” said Bob, swallowing down the unfounded fear that was rising in him, “can we…I’ll wash the dishes later, so can we just—”

 

Even before the words were all out of Bob’s mouth, Frankie was over on his side of the table, for once having the advantage of height as he leaned over to kiss the other man again. The kiss tasted of chocolate and wine.

 

“Upstairs,” Frankie suggested breathily when they separated.

 

They barely separated even as they climbed the stairs, only to shed sweaters and shirts and jeans in an obscene trail leading from the kitchen to their bedroom. Frankie backed into the room, allowing his knees to collapse as they reached the bed and pulling Bob on top of him. Bob was so lost in Frankie that he nearly forgot all of his plans. He was holding himself over Frankie on his hands and knees. The hickey Frankie started sucking into his shoulder certainly didn’t help him regain his mind until he caught sight of the keyboard out of the corner of his eye.

 

“Wait, Frankie, wait.”

 

Frankie just growled in response, giving a small tug so that Bob was unable to keep himself up anymore and wrapped his legs around Bob’s waist to keep him there. Bob couldn't help but moan into the next searing, messy kiss as their bodies slid together.

 

“I love you so much,” Bob murmured in Frankie’s ear when they separated, “but I need you to stop right now because I have something very important to talk to you about.”

 

“Is this really the time?” complained Frankie, “let’s talk about it tomorrow.”

 

“Frankie.”

 

Frankie grumbled, but released Bob from his hold. Bob couldn’t concentrate when they were this close together and he rose. Frankie was sprawled across the bed, his face and chest flushed and his arousal clearly evident.

 

“New Jersey Supreme Court passed a bill today,” started Bob, he looked away, not wanted to get distracted by the debauched picture that Frankie made on their pale blue sheets, “and, I mean the gist of it is that civil unions are going to be legal.”

 

Frankie frowned, “What’s your point?”

 

“I, um, I’ve been working on something,” stammered Bob, “between writing those stupid jingles and I think,” he took a deep breath, “when I found out about this bill, I made some additions and I really want…I wrote a song for you,” he looked up and met Frankie’s eyes, “Well, for you and about you and I want to sing it for you.”

 

He didn’t wait for Frankie to respond, simply seated himself behind the keyboard. He began to play and then to sing.

 

_ I hope you know _

_ what you mean to me _

_ Your smile as far as I can see _

_ is all I ever need to be _

 

_ And I _

_ hope you know _

_ that every day I spend with you _

_ is all I ever wanted _

 

He had been working on this song for so long, but the emotion he had put into it was so strong even now. He had to close his eyes, afraid that if he looked at Frankie while he sang he might start crying and never be able to finish.

 

_ To be _

_ the man I want to be _

_ I find _

_ is when it's you and me _

 

_ And you _

_ will always lead me there _

_ You know I'll always care _

 

_ I hope you know _

_ that the words I say _

_ will last until my final day _

_ and guide us through a certain way _

 

Before he had met Frankie, Bob had never really understood sappy love songs, It seemed so unreal to him that someone would find a person who meant so much to them that they put their partner above everything else.

 

_ Before _

_ this night is through _

_ I've won the day by winning you _

_ My heart beats faster when I'm next to _

_ you _

 

_ You are my light you see _

_ It's you who inspires me _

_ to be who all I can be _

 

_ I hope you know _

_ I hope you know _

 

In all honesty, he’d been in love with Frankie from the very first moment he’d seen those brown eyes and when he’d heard Frankie sing his fate had been sealed. Finding out what an amazing person Frankie was had just been the icing on the cake.

 

_ I hope you see _

_ that the you I know _

_ makes it so that I can go _

_ rule the world _

_ and always know _

_ that you _

_ make me believe _

_ that I don't need tricks _

_ up my sleeve _

_ there's nothing that I can't achieve _

 

He stopped playing, continuing without the music as he reached into his music bag and pulled out the small box. He’d measured Frankie’s finger with a string late one night when he’d been sleeping, so he knew that the ring would fit.

 

_ And I hope you'll spend your life with me _

_ as I get down on one knee _

_ and ask, "Will you marry me?” _

  
  


Bob went down on one knee in front of the bed, finally glancing up at Frankie, who looked absolutely gobsmacked. He opened the box to reveal the ring nestled inside. It was a simple white-gold band with an inscription on the inside which read simply “forever.” 

 

He took a deep breath, “Frankie Castelluccio, will you marry me?”

 

There was a moment of deep silence, broken only when Frankie let out a small, amused huff of laughter.

 

“Bobby, you are the most ridiculously romantic person I have ever met.”

 

“I love you Frankie, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you and not only that,” he hurried on, barely pausing for a breath, “if we have a civil union, we’ll get a lot of the rights that they give to married couples, like hospital visiting rights and then,” he looked away and swallowed, “once everything is official I’d like to adopt Francine.”

 

“You are so perfect,” Frankie breathed in wonder, “Do you even realize just how perfect you are?”

 

“Is…is that a yes?” asked Bob shyly.

 

“Is that a yes?” Frankie laughed, leaning over to tip Bob’s chin up so that their eyes can meet, “Of course it’s a yes, you ridiculous, amazing, fucking  _ perfect _ man.”

 

The ring box lay forgotten on the piano bench for the next few hours.

**Author's Note:**

> The lyrics come from a song written by Erich Bergen


End file.
